Flashpoint: The Esseles Alt End
by Cybrind
Summary: Alternate ending to the Flashpoint: The Esseles. As your heroes stand at the last barrier before the hanger, 'what if' tugs at your quest line and changes things. Alternate end to my story The Esseles


**Flashpoint: The Esseles**

Defeat Vokk

Talk to Ambassador Asara

Return to the Esseles in a Shuttle

Return to First Officer Haken on the Bridge

Almost to the end of my story The Esseles. I could go with the quest line or go in a different direction. Originally I went in a different direction but it was dark and completely wrong for my smuggler's backstory. So I set it aside and came at it again to what is posted now as Chapter 8 & 9. This just refused to be left forgotten in the recycle bin, so here it is.

If you've done the Flashpoint: The Esseles at any time, you may recognize what is about to happen. Therefore you don't need to read my story The Esseles and this can stand alone as is.

* * *

I step up to the security console and start inputting codes and the usual work arounds to see if any are accepted. 'Denied' flashes across the screen and I try others.

"Do you think this means their security is back on line?" They're staring at the security barrier between us and the hanger. I can see them in my peripheral vision just standing there staring. I suppose there isn't really much for them to do in order to help, there is after all only one console. Still isn't there anything they can try? Look for another way in maybe? We're so close to the hanger, I can almost taste our freedom. "I don't have any more computer spikes." Not sure who Ti'ta is talking to, maybe just talking to herself.

"Right." What was the point of saying that, something to say perhaps? We discussed the lack of spikes back at the tractor beam. Nerves maybe, but I really don't think now is the time to lose calm and I'm barely holding onto mine.

"Something's going on in there." Willa steps closer to the barrier and peers as best she can. She gasps softly, "Sith…"

"Vokk…" That makes my fingers and my heart stop. So much for being calm. I look over at Greagoir and he's staring blankly at the barrier. His usual grin is gone, replaced with an eerie calm. "I can feel his darkness."

Great, more Jedi, Force, Sith, creepiness. Every code I remember is denied again and again. I could crack this if I had more time, or if I had a computer spike, then this wouldn't be so impossible. I can hear blaster fire. I can only imagine how frightened those guys are but I can't get distracted now.

"Hurry!" My fingers can only move so fast. Keelah yelling doesn't change that. I don't bother responding as 'Denied' keeps flashing at me. Taunting me. Laughing at me.

"Let me try." I don't move right away but the blasted 'Denied' can't be ignored. Fine, she thinks she can do better. I take a step back as Ti'ta slips in front of me, her fingers move faster than mine yet the same 'Denied' response comes back. I bite back my 'I told you so' remarks and watch her codes with a calculating eye.

"No, N8five2 was-"

"Shhh…"

Did she just shush me? I look over at Willa, brow furrowed and that's when I hear it, or rather don't. Things have grown a bit too quiet on the other side of the barrier and my eyes immediately drift toward Greagoir. His eyes slip closed. "Three dead, one in pain…" His voice is almost wistful, pleased as if sharing emotions with that Vokk guy in there. "He's toying with her, he won't kill her. He has his orders…"

"Greagoir," Willa steps beside him and grabs hold of his arm to catch his attention. "Calm your emotions." She stares up at him but he's ignoring her, focused on the barrier.

"Time's up," we have to get in there _now_. I slip my arm around Ti'ta and take a step back away from the security console pulling her back out of the way. Taking Flashy from her holster I shoot the console and shield her as best I can from the sparks and sputters.

"Why didn't we just do that all along?" Keelah is frowning at me now and I roll my eyes.

"Because sometimes shooting a console doesn't just drop a barrier, sometimes shooting a console springs a trap instead." Slipping Flashy back in her holster I follow Willa and Ti'ta into the hanger.

"Release her!" Willa cries out before tossing one of the dropped blaster rifles at him. He moves fast, with a simple flick of his free hand the rifle is deflected back at her.

I'm not sure what he was doing but it had to be painful. Asara was midair grabbing at her throat as her legs flailed pointlessly. When Willa got his attention, Asara tumbled to the ground gasping for breath and began creeping backwards until two troops grab her one at each arm. Of the security detail that stayed with Asara, they're all dead, each lying in a pool of their own blood.

Vokk laughs, the sound is hollow, cold, cruel and utterly lacking in humor. He's in no hurry to reach us or stop us. He's stalling us and keeping us from making our escape. He simply turns in our direction disregarding Asara as if she is unworthy of his attention. Vokk's head tilts suddenly to the side as if a thought strikes him or a sound catches his attention. Four troops fall in behind him, two on each side. Somewhere in the distance a rumbling sound grows louder is if it is making its way towards us. He stares past us, a slow smile spreads across his corrupted face. "Do you know what betrayal feels like?"

We've stopped moving, Greagoir hasn't. With his lightsaber flashing dangerously in hand, he moves to the front. I almost don't recognize him, he looks rather feral. Vokk continues, not waiting for a response. "I do. It leaves you angry, bitter and filled with hate." He's not really talking to us, he's purely focused on Greagoir. "I took these emotions and used them to fuel my power. Now I will have my revenge."

Vokk's lightsabers spring to life in his hands, dual red blades looking ominous and deadly. He crouches into his fighting stance, a cruel glint in his orange-red eyes, "You all have been betrayed, abandoned and left to the non-existing mercy of the Empire by the very people you rushed here to protect."

I grimace, feeling like I've been sucker punched in the gut. Asara's voice is grating and rough after the abuse her throat had suffered, "It's true." She tries to move towards us only to be stopped short, "Esseles left as soon as the tractor beam was released." The troops at her side remain unperturbed by her outburst.

Kilran's voice fills the hanger, mocking and triumphant, "Kind of you to deliver Asara. Though it would have been easier if you had simply handed her over when I first contacted you. While you made this much more difficult than it needed to be, things ended as I said they would."

"The Esseles escaped?" Ti'ta crosses her arms, shifting her weight to her left leg.

Vokk grips his lightsabers tighter and sneers, "_You_ let them escape."

"Lord Vokk, we released the ship, your Mandalorians' incompetence allowed it to escape." She begins pacing back and forth, shaking her head. "I admit their treachery is most unexpected." I don't know what she's going on about.

The hanger is filling with troops now, I feel pretty trapped. I'm not going down without a fight. I had tightened my grip on my blaster rifle when things went very wrong. My head feels like its splitting, there is a flash of light so bright I can't see my hands in front of my face. The agony is debilitating and by the time it is over the world goes black.

I slowly open my eyes. My head feels groggy and my thoughts are thick, slow to make sense. I don't recognize the gray durasteel walls and the hum, someone please stop the constant thrumming noise. My head aches and I push myself to a sitting position. Someone is mumbling, or talking and someone else is yelling. I think someone is screaming and another may be crying. I groan as my mind clears enough to remember where we are.

"No! Darth Thanaton will want his stray apprentice back." Vokk is pacing angrily, arms crossed throwing hateful glares at the cage next to me. I peer through the barrier and see Greagoir with an odd collar on and little else. Arms crossed and seething, he watches Vokk. I can't see who he's talking to but I would guess it's Kilran.

"Very well, the rest will go to Darth Jadus and Imperial Intelligence. You've already jeopardized my assignment and I will _not_ go back to Drommund Kaas empty handed." My brows furrow. That isn't Kilran. Her voice is familiar even with that funny accent.

"Very well, Cipher, we will rendezvous with the Imperial Fleet and deliver you to Intelligence." Now _that_ is Kilran's voice.

"I hope Asara is worth all this trouble, Moff Kilran. Darth Jadus is not pleased." Why do I know that voi-

They came around the corner at that moment and my heart stops in my chest. Kilran, Vokk and Cipher have come to where we are being held.

My name is Corso Riggs. I grew up on Ord Mantel, a rancher son. I'm a mercenary, smuggler, right hand man, and a weapons mechanic. I'm a simple man, with simple needs. There was a time I thought my future was to be the co-pilot to the woman I grew to trust and love. The woman standing in front of me has taken that future from me and crushed it along with my heart under her Imperial military issued boot heel. Cipher is what Kilran called her. Only that isn't the name I've been calling her. "Captain…"


End file.
